MATCH REPORTS 2003-2004  RED STAR FC 93

RED STAR FC 93 0 VERSAILLES 2 (0-1)
Division Honneur - Week 11
Stade Bauer, 30/11/03

Goals : Schneeberger (5), Sall (85)
Atendnace 300, referee : M. Antonio
Booked : Fourneuf (36), N’Simba (91) - Tsassong (74), Sadoun (79)

RED STAR FC 93 : Delmas, Dao, Fourneuf, Diomande, Guei, Hamdane, Delaneuville, N'Simba, Marques, Desmarets (Baldé 50), Latt-Agnes. Subs: Jalliti, Yessad. Coach: A. Meguellatti.
RC VERSAILLES 78: Thiery, Tsassong, Masseron, Brion, Boleda, Guillot, Michel, Aidara, Schneebergeer (Sadoun 87), Schwerdfeger (Bourama 57), Bardin (Sall 60). Coach: T. Bocquet.

Red Star - Versailles
Reevis N'Simba

ANOTHER BLOODY SUNDAY

I make no apologies for borrowing the headline for this report from the title of a television documentary made in the late seventies/early eighties about Doncaster Rugby League Club. At that time, the Dons has the unenviable record of the worst team in professional Rugby League, and had gone something like forty games without a win.
While I'm not saying that Red Star have actually stooped to those depths yet, on the strength of recent performances, it is conceivable that the free-fall which the club has experienced over recent seasons could still continue. The honeymoon is over, the name of the game is survival now, and Red Star must be looking over their shoulders at the mess at the bottom of the table, hoping not to get sucked into it. Another difference between Red Star are the Dons is that the Dons were already bottom of the heap; Red Star still have some way to go yet.
Anyway, back to the story. Against a well-marshalled Versailles outfit, who in fairness were nothing special, Red Star were clueless. Despite the labourings of Delaneuville and Hamdane in midfield, nothing worked. In the end the only real signs of something positive came from the solid defenders Diomande and Franck Guei.
Due to the increasing impossibility to find a parking space around Bauer on a Sunday afternoon, I missed the first ten minutes or so, and with that the opening goal. From going behind, the game was virtually a one-sided affair, with Red Star pushing forwards all the game. To no avail. Compared to the last home game against Brétigny, however, at least Red Star managed several shots on or around the target, and the visitors' keeper managed to keep his hands warm. But in most cases, Red Star were guilty of some very poor finishing, mostly long-range shots floating high and wide over the crossbar.
Just after the break Red Stars' most lively player, Desmarets was withdrawn. From then on, the forwards had left most of the entrepreneurial activity to their defenders, with Dao, Diomande and Guei posing the biggest threats to Versailles.
Whilst Jalliti remained glued to the subs bench, Red Stars' midfield toiled away in vain. Finally, to add insult to injury, in a rare second half attack, Versailles sent the Red Star supporters streaming to the exits with a second goal against the run of play.
So that's the DH. Uninspiring teams who place the emphasis on not conceding goals and trying to get one on the break. We've already seen this with Armenienne, Brétigny, Villemomble, Meaux and now Versailles, all teams with no fixed ability playing to their strengths. Against dour outfits like that footballing teams such as Red Star don't stand a chance.
One to forget. One to send you away from Bauer to think twice about ever coming back.
Coach Meguellatti has some shouting to do. But some questions remain unanswered. Why was Julien Carles banished to the reserves ? If it was to cure the problem of Red Star falling behind to early goals due to a lack of early-game concentration then that cure failed miserably. Why is Alain Milome, who last week banged in a hat-trick for the reserves not picked for the first eleven ? Why does the coach persist with a player who would do a great job for the reserves, but has yet to prove himself a capable first-team striker (one goal in a pre-season friendly) ? Where is Benmesmoudi ? Where is Riad Fellahi, one of the most talented players in the squad ? Red Star need to find some answers to these and other qestions pdq, or the Doncaster syndrome will be harder to shake off...

In fairness to the Dons, not long after the film was made, a remarkable transformation swept over Tattersfield and the club.... from being the leagues' whipping boys, the club eventually rose to the heights of the RL Super League for one season... albeit their last, as the club folded due to financial difficulties. But Rugby League still lives on in Doncaster, with the very respectable Doncaster Dragons RL. Hope springs eternal....

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